NEW YORK — When Kendrick Lamar started his Super Bowl Halftime Show earlier this year he chose a stage design that is likely familiar to anyone who listens: square, triangle, cross and circle.
Grammy winning rapper. in front of more than 133 million people — decided to perform on a massive industrial grid of flashing lights, reminiscent of a giant PlayStation controller.
It was a pleasant surprise for Sony's PlayStation, which celebrates its 30th anniversary in North America and Europe this year. Lamar's nod to a console that Sony had nothing to do with was another sign of how far the brand has permeated the culture, in big and small ways.
From big-budget Hollywood fare such as “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider” with Angelina Jolie in the Juice WRLD video for “Hear me calling” To “The Last of Us” at HBO Max, the PlayStation experience went well beyond the console. Chandler Bing in the TV series “Friends” played on the PlayStation 1 and was the main character shooting PlayStation zombies in the cult film Shaun of the Dead.
“We made games cool. When we came out, we were a little nervous, we were different, but it was really about being disruptive,” says Eric Lempel, senior vice president of marketing, sales and business operations at Sony Interactive Entertainment. “We feel like we are a leading entertainment brand, not just a gaming brand.”
Part of the PlayStation's enduring popularity has been its ability to evolve with the technology, starting in 1995 with its choice of CDs, which opened the door to 3D gaming. Back then, clunky cartridges were king.
The PlayStation, the result of a failed partnership between Nintendo and Sony, entered a market dominated by Sega and Nintendo. Sony wanted to bring arcade games into the home, and the crucial decision was to first consult with game developers before creating their system.
“Sony knew early on that they needed developers, before they even started designing it,” says Anthony Caulfield, who runs Gracious Films with his wife Nicola and produced the independent documentary. “PlayStation Revolution”
“Hardware manufacturers up to this point didn't really care what developers wanted. They just made what they thought was the best hardware,” he says.
Some important steps helped right from the start. Sony had several games ready for release, a solid development process, and a killer retail price of $299, which was cheaper than rival Sega Saturn.
Sony also chose its market carefully, Caulfield said. Since Sega and Nintendo primarily target children, Sony aimed the PlayStation at teens and young adults—catnip for their younger siblings.
“If you grew up loving Nintendo games, the PlayStation is a really good next step,” says Tyler Treese, the magazine's editor-in-chief. PlayStation LifeStyle, an online forum and news site for fans.
When the console first launched it was a sensation, selling over 100 million units worldwide. “This is when games grew up,” Caulfield says. “Here the games have moved from the bedroom to the living room.”
Sony kept up with the technology by packing DVDs into the PlayStation 2 to give buyers another reason to buy the system. The PlayStation 2 remains the best-selling console of all time, with approximately 160 million units sold.
“It was one of the most inexpensive DVD players and also the best gaming system of the time,” says Lempel. “I know so many people who said, ‘That was my DVD player. That’s how I started doing DVDs.”
Sony ran into a problem with the PS3, which used a Blu-ray deck. “It made the thing so expensive and kind of ruined the original feeling of the PlayStation being affordable and great value for money,” says Caulfield. 2011 Hacking the PlayStation network Disabling the network for 24 days did not help. “If they had gotten it wrong with the PS4, it could have been the end.”
But the PlayStation 4 stabilized the console in 2013, offering exciting online multiplayer capabilities, streaming services and a library of exclusive games. With the current PlayStation 5, Sony has continued to use in-app purchases, 4K resolution, and a controller with haptic feedback and adaptive triggers.
“Every console has to have a purpose, it has to have a reason to exist, and when we find that we have enough new technology that can allow developers to do great things, we move forward,” Lempel says.
The list of movies and TV shows released on PlayStation is long. It includes Uncharted starring Tom Holland on the big screen, The Last of Us starring Pedro Pascal on HBO, Twisted Metal on Peacock and Gran Turismo starring Orlando Bloom on Columbia Pictures.
There are others on the way, including the live-action film Zero Dawn Horizon, scheduled for release in 2027, the upcoming film version of Ghost of Tsushima directed by Chad Stahelski, and the Amazon series God of War.
Treece says PlayStation games often make the transition to TV and cinema screens because they are realistic, use motion capture and use talented actors.
“They're really suited to movies because they've definitely led the way in creating a more cinematic experience in video games,” he says. It doesn't help that Sony Pictures is nearby.
Lempel says PlayStation franchises are finding new audiences in other media because, at their core, they are good entertainment. “We have great stories, great intellectual property, and it transcends this category.”
This is even reflected in fashion: British Nigerian multidisciplinary artist and designer Yinka Ilori has a line PlayStation-inspired loungewear — and shoes thanks to the Nike Dunk Low Cactus Jack X PlayStation sneakers from rapper Travis Scott.
“We know we've touched a chord that goes far beyond the consumer product,” Lempel says. “It's something that people love. It's a big part of people's lives, and they love to talk about it. They love to express it in different ways.”
Lempel recently experienced this expression firsthand. He was at a restaurant in Manhattan when he noticed a tattoo of PlayStation symbols on someone's arm. “These are permanent marks on someone’s body,” he marvels. “It’s a passion that people have.”
